Image via Complex Original
Lil B10 reasons we think he will blow up in 2011
He Gives Away Tons of Free Music
Why it matters: Dare we say Lil B's onslaught of free music is comparable to Lil Wayne's pre-Carter III wave of mixtapes, if only in quantity? Lil B drops a new video every other day on his YouTube page. He thinks nothing of releasing three 30-track mixtapes in the same week. Certain #rare songs are hard to find. Dude has made keeping up with his thousands of songs a weird, "gotta catch 'em all" type of deal, and one look at his Twitter or Facebook pages let's you know that plenty of kids out there are responding. Which brings us to our next point...
He's Mastered Social Media
Why it matters: Lil B is probably following you. Or maybe you got a RT from him, one of the hundreds he does everyday. Or you might have gone back and forth with him in comments of one of his videos. Whatever the case, it's allowed him to connect with tens of thousands of people everyday in a very unique way. He's given Twitter the type of devotion most rappers reserve for the studio. Last night alone, he tweeted gems like this, promoted his January 13 performance at NYC's Highline Ballroom, and invited female followers to his private #LILBTWITTERPARTY. These exchanges happen daily and have helped him develop a loyal fan base. Which is part of the reason why...
He Has A Cult Following
Why it matters: Lil B's supporters aren't your run-of-the-mill rap fans. They send him messages like, "PLEASE FUCK MY MOM BASEDGOD!!" complete with a Michigan address (including a zip code and phone number, in case you were wondering). They go crazy when he "cooks" at concerts, and fire off any of his dozens of catchphrases ("Bitch Mob," "tiny pants," "woo," "swag") at random.
His Shows Are Awesome
Why it matters: Lil B has had shows in most major markets over the past few months, but they've been spaced out enough for him to brand them as "rare." Even someone who doesn't like his music would still be entertained. Some kids come decked out with chef hats, aprons, and spatulas to augment the "cooking dance." His bizarre, bass-heavy anthems replicate well in live settings, and there's the disbelief when he asks the audience, "Can I fuck your bitch?" to a resounding sea of "Yes!"
He's Controversial
Why it matters: This year, Fantasia's Back To Me sold 240,000 copies in its first week after a suicide attempt. Kid Cudi's Man On The Moon II sold 180,000 copies in its first week after a much-publicized drug arrest. It's no coincidence: controversy sells and Lil B The Based God is in good luck because he knows how to generate it. He's said he would "fuck [Kanye] in the ass" for not acknowledging him on Twitter. He started a relatively unprovoked beef with Joe Budden and got himself in the rap headlines. He got sucker punched on YouTube and flipped it into a good look. He's exactly what people mean when they say, "no press is bad press."
He's Always Getting Better
Why it matters: Lil B is a funny guy. Even if we like songs like "I'm Paris Hilton," we know not to take them too seriously, but we don't deny his ability to make legitimately good songs, either. When we hear tracks like "Real Shit From A Real Nigga," it really seems possible for him to piece together a solid debut LP.
The Media Is Paying Attention
Why it matters: Lil B has come a long way since we interviewed him back in early June. Around that time, he was just starting to get a lot of people's attention, and since then, other outlets have taken notice with The New York Times giving him a glowing review, and The Fader recently gave him a cover. You might want to dismiss the guy who calls himself a "pretty bitch" as pure novelty, but his press coverage is proving otherwise.
Soulja Boy Co-Signs Him
Why it matters: Yes, Soulja Boy only moved 13,000 units of The DeAndre Way this week, but that doesn't invalidate his influence on Lil B's career. Soulja Boy is still a star and has given Lil B an invaluable amount of visibility, including affiliation with his SODMG imprint (although Lil B is still an independent artist) and telling us that Lil B's 6 Kiss was one of his favorite albums of all time. We loved "Pretty Boy Swag," but damn, B could wind up outshining SB the way Waka did with Gucci.
Other Rappers Are Noticing, Too
Why it matters: Lil B forgot, but Kanye actually did acknowledge his presence when he posted "Swag OD" with Soulja Boy on his old UniverseCity blog. Jay Electronica reached out to him recently, and guys like Wiz Khalifa, Lupe Fiasco, Cormega, and Tony Yayo have been co-signing him for a while. That's not a bad group of peers to have support from this early in the game.
He'll Finally Sign An Album Deal
Why it matters: After the success of his grassroots campaign this year, there's no way Lil B won't find a home at a major label come 2011. When we asked him about it recently, he said, "I'm going to be signing my deal officially in 2011. Stay tuned for with who!" Every indie rapper with a little buzz says the same thing, but for some reason we think it'll happen for the Based God.
